Laura here, the Digital Editor at Rocky Mountain Bride! I’m so glad you’re here! And, most importantly, congratulations on your engagement!
From enjoying celebrations with your family and friends to planning your wedding day, being engaged is such an exciting time of your life! However, what seems to be one of the easiest tasks on your wedding planning list can actually become more overwhelming than you thought…registering for items! Follow along as I share some of my most used items from my registry, the best advice I received, and items I wished I had registered for. I hope this list helps you navigate the thousands of items you’ll be choosing from. And, if you still have questions, feel free to email us at for advice!
Question:What was the best piece of registry advice you received?
Whether you’re living with your soon-to-be spouse or planning on moving in for the first time together, a wedding registry is the absolute perfect time to replace all of your old college kitchenware, bedding, and beyond. When my now-husband and I were registering we knew we wanted a simple, yet beautiful set of dinnerware including plates, bowls, etc. so we registered for 8 of each. However, my best friend called me and said she was purchasing this item but we needed to register for a minimum of 12. Why? Even if you don’t host often if you simply have your parents or a set of friends over for dinner having just a set of 8 can often lead to doing dishes more frequently. 12 allows you to use your plates, bowls, etc. throughout the day and still have clean dishes for your evening gathering!
The number 12 is important for other items too, including daily drinking glasses, silverware, and more! Typically sets come with 4 of each item, so this means you’ll want (3) of each.
Question:What item do you most frequently from your registry?
Obviously, this varies for everyone. However, my husband and I love to cook so, our most used items from our registry are kitchen gadgets. Hands down my husband and I use our Crux Air Fryer the most (similar product here)! We’ve been married for almost 3 years and use it at least 2-3x a week! We had just moved into a new home a few months prior to our wedding so we took advantage of this time to register for matching appliances including a tea kettle, coffee pot, toaster, etc. — register for quality items that will last! Check out all of Crux’s options here. You can find their items at Macy’s.
Question:What item were you gifted that you unexpectedly love?
Trying to fill up my registry with enough items for our guests to choose from, I registered for a stand-up steamer for our laundry room. I didn’t expect to be gifted it or use it. However, it has come in handy more often than I thought! We use the stand-up steamer to steam our table runners, shirts, and beyond. Honestly, my husband uses it daily to steam his jeans. It’s great because you simply clip or drape your item to the top, tap the on button and steam your item. It’s quick, easy, and doesn’t require you to get our an ironing board, etc.
A few other laundry room registry must-haves are a good iron, portable steamer, and a dust buster.
We got this question a lot and as someone who has gone through a few in the past few years of marriage, I feel pretty qualified to answer this question. Since my husband and I were already living together, we did not register for a vacuum. However, after having poor experiences with Dyson, we now use and love the Shark! It’s the perfect option too if you have pets or are planning on getting pets.
As I mentioned above, register for a dustbuster. Dustbusters are great handheld vacuums perfect for cleaning up small messes in tight areas.
Additionally, an iRobot vacuum may sound unnecessary but they are great if you like to keep your home looking clean and tidy at all times. Set it to run while you’re out running errands or at work. Keeps you from having to pull out your full-size vacuum as often!
Question: Items for the tech-loving husband?
Oh, now this is a good one! First, let me say, registering for items that you know no one will buy is OKAY! Why? Well, many registry sites offer discounts on unpurchased items. So if you know you’ll want to buy the item either way, take advantage of these post-wedding discounts! You cannot get the discounts if the item is not on your registry. My husband wants everything in our home to be ‘smart’ so we registered for the following items and would recommend them to anyone else moving into their first home:
Question: The best kitchen gadgets? And, is a stand mixer really worth it?
Kitchen Aid: A Kitchen Aid(stand mixer) is 100% worth it, if and only if, you love to bake or cook! It works great for kneading dough, mixing cake batter, and so much more! But, if you don’t cook or bake on regular basis perhaps a handheld mixer is more for you.
Registering for other kitchen items is important too! It’s amazing how much you realize you don’t have when you move into your first home with your significant other. Or, items that flat out need to be replaced. From new spatulas to juicers, go crazy on adding everything you think you might need. If you decide you don’t actually need or want it when it arrives, no harm…exchange it for something else! Here are some of the basics you don’t want to leave off your registry:
Additionally, it’s okay to register for multiple types of one item. For instance, maybe you want a regular coffee pot and Nespresso. No harm in putting both items on your registry! And, don’t forget the little items like a cheese grater, potato peeler, measuring spoons, strainer, whisks, spatulas and more!
Question: Help! We don’t want to register for a ton of kitchen items and just want to travel…what do we do?
What’s great about creating a registry is it is custom to you and your significant other. If you don’t want to put a ton of kitchen stuff on it, don’t feel obligated. Great alternatives include new suitcases for traveling, new bedding, decor, camping gear, or outdoor items!
Zola even offers options for Cash and Honeymoon Funds so guests can gift a money amount towards your trip and experiences, a down payment on a house, a charity, and more!
Miscellaneous Questions/Tips:
Can you have more than 1 registry? Absolutely! There are websites such as Zola that allow you to add items from other websites. But, if you’re not using Zola it’s absolutely okay to register at multiple places such as Crate & Barrel, Macy’s, Amazon, and beyond…just be sure to list them all on your wedding website.
Be sure to register for items in a variety of price ranges. This will allow guests to opt for items within their budget or to split larger items with other guests!
Additionally, make sure you register for enough items that your guests have options to choose from. Otherwise, you may end up with gifts with no gift receipts.
